Mail-bag



(No Model.)

' I. H. NORTHRUP.

MAIL BAG.

No;' 272,577. Patented P6-bi-2-0','1883,

N. PEIERS. Pbvibl'rmognphor. Wilhinginn. D. c.

U ITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

ISRAEL H. NORTHRUP, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO A. HOMER BYINGTON, OF NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

MAIL- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,577, dated February 20, 1883.

Application filed August 28,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL H. NORTHRUP, a. citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Mail-Bags, of which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to the method of fastening mail-bags now in use by the United States Government. It is wellknown by mail-agents that the mail-bag in present use cannot be thoroughly laced and locked between short stations on account of the number of staples through which the capping-strap passes. "This I propose to obviate by reducing the nuniber and arrangement of the staples.

The drawing represents the bag and fastening ready to be locked.

A represents the body of the bag, B the folding flap, made fast to the back of the body of bag A, and which folds over the mouth of the bag, so that the openings therein will go over the staples a a a a.

C is the capping-strap, made fast to the back of bag A, having a rigid end, E. provided with a slot, 1), to fit over the horizontalstaple a, and a projecting upturned point, e, which passes under staple a. The rigid end E has an openiug,f, in its face to receive a label, and a shoulder, d, which prevents that part of the bag under the rigid end from getting slack, by which entrance might be gained. The projecting point e maybe either straight or upturned, but I prefer to make it upturned. 3

To secure the bag the flap B is first folded in place. Then the strap C is forced under the vertical staples a a, when the slot 1) in rigid end E drops automatically over horizontal staple a, simultaneously with the upturned 40 point e, passing under staple a, in readiness for applying the lock.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s- 4F 1. In a mail-bag, the cappii-igstrap C, pro- 3 vided with a rigid end, E, having slot b,opening f, shoulder d, and a projecting upturned point, e, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a mail-bag fastening, the combination .of two or more vertical and one horizontal staples with a capping-strap having a rigid slotted end and a projecting point arranged to enter the end staple beyond the look, all

constructed to operate as and for the purpose 

